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FORT SIMPSON, August 8, 2007
The Canadian Boreal Initiative (CBI) congratulates the Government of Canada on today's announcement for dedicating an additional
5,400 square kilometers towards the Nahanni National Park Reserve and securing
further protection for the South Nahanni watershed. We commend the Prime Minister,
Minister Baird, the Dehcho First Nations and the Government of the Northwest
Territories for their decisive action.
"This is a major step towards expanding the Nahanni National Park Reserve - a
Canadian icon, world renowned national park and World Heritage Site in the Northwest
Territories' Boreal Forest", said Larry Innes, CBI's Executive Director. "This is a welcome
follow up to the federal Budget investment in the protected areas in the North and we
look forward to celebrating other sites in the coming months."
This announcement follows on the commitment made by Canada in January 2007 to
permanently protect the entire South Nahanni Watershed and Nahanni karstlands in an
expanded national park.
"Securing protection for special places like the Nahanni is part of what Canadians want
our governments to achieve", continued Innes. "Today's announcement reinforces the
importance that all parties place on balancing conservation with economic development
to protect and strengthen the North, and we are proud to be actively supporting those
goals."
The work between governments, First Nations, conservation organizations, and
stakeholders to secure protection for a suite of important ecological and cultural areas
identified in the Northwest Territories Protected Areas Strategy, national park proposals
and regional land use plans is ongoing. Protection is actively being sought for Ramparts
River and wetlands (Ts'ude niline Tu'eyeta) near Fort Good Hope, the Thaydene
Nene/East Arm region of the Great Slave Lake near Lutsel'ke, and for additional areas
identified in the draft Dehcho and Sahtu land use plans.
Based in Ottawa, the Canadian Boreal Initiative is a convener bringing together partners
including governments, industry, First Nations, conservation groups, major retailers,
financial institutions and scientists to create new solutions for the conservation and
sustainable development of the Boreal Forest.
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